Ľudmila Podjavorinská was a

pen name A pen name, also called a ''nom de plume'' or a literary double, is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name. A pen na ...

used by Ľudmila Riznerová (26 April 1872 – 2 March 1951), a Slovak writer considered to be the first important woman poet for her country but best known for her children's books. She wrote under a number of different pen names, including Božena, Damascena, Ľ. Šeršelínová, Ľ. Špirifangulínová, Ľudka and Ľudmila. The daughter of Karol Rizner, a teacher, she was born in the village of

Bzince pod Javorinou Bzince pod Javorinou ( hu, Botfalu) is a village and municipality in Nové Mesto nad Váhom District in the Trenčín Region of western Slovakia. History In history, historical records the village was first mentioned in 1332. Geography The munic ...

. Her uncle Ľudovít Rizner encouraged her to submit her first writing to newspapers for publication. Podjavorinská had three contemporary women writers as mentors:

Terézia Vansová Terézia Zuzana Vansová née Medvecká, pseudonyms Johanka Georgiadesová, Milka Žartovnická and Nemophila (1857–1942) was a pioneering Slovak language, Slovak female writer and editor during the period of Literary realism, realism. She wrote ...

Elena Maróthy-Šoltésová Elena Maróthy-Šoltésová (6 January 1855 – 11 February 1939) was a Slovakia, Slovak writer and editor. She was also a leading figure in the women's movement in Slovakia. The daughter of Reverend Daniel Maróthy and Karolina Hudecová, s ...

and Božena Slančíková. She contributed to various Slovak periodicals and translated Russian poetry into Slovak. She stayed in her home town until 1910, when she moved to Nové Mesto nad Váhom. For a short time around 1918, she was an official for the district Red Cross. Podjavorinská was a member of

Živena The Živena, is the oldest women's rights organization in Slovakia, founded in 1869. History Early days (1869-1918) The original initiative came from mainly Lutheran nationalist intellectuals connected to Matica slovenská led by Ambro Piet ...

, the first women's organization in Slovakia. In 1947, she was named a

National Artist National Artist is an honorary title issued by some states as a highest recognition of artists for their significant contributions to the cultural heritage of the nation. An equivalent title, People's Artist, has been known in countries of the f ...

for Czechoslovakia. Podjavorinská died in Nové Mesto nad Váhom at the age of 78. A minor planet was named Podjavorinská in her honour.

Selected works

* ''Z vesny života'' ("From life's spring"), poetry (1895) * ''V otroctve'' ("In slavery"), novel (1905) * ''Žena'' ("Woman"), novel (1909) * ''Kytka veršov pre slovenské dietky'' ("A bouquet of poems for Slovak children"), children's poetry (1920) * ''Balady'' ("Ballads"), poetry (1930) * ''Veršíky pre maličkých'' ("Verses for little ones"), children's poetry (1930) * ''Medový hrniec'' ("Pot of honey"), children's poetry (1930) * ''Baránok boží'' ("Lamb of God"), children's prose (1932) * ''Klásky'' ("Ears of grain"), children's poetry (1947)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Podjavorinska, Ludmila 1872 births 1951 deaths 19th-century Slovak writers 20th-century Slovak writers Slovak children's writers Slovak poets Poets from Austria-Hungary Children's writers from Austria-Hungary Slovak novelists Slovak translators Slovak women children's writers Slovak women poets Slovak women novelists 19th-century pseudonymous writers 20th-century pseudonymous writers Pseudonymous women writers People from Nové Mesto nad Váhom District Writers from Austria-Hungary